dianelukeman 14 Dec 2008 at 11:36am (Report this message)

Last week, I watched Verdi's Don Carlo which opened the season at LaScala Milan. However, I did not travel to Italy but to the Curzon Richmond - a cinema local to us.  We have booked at the same place to see Hansel and Gretel from the Royal Opera House next week.  I thought of putting a few words together about these experiences when I heard a brief discussion on Radio 3 programme Music Matters (13th December) which can be listened to again for the next 6 days.  There was a lively discussion (about 10+ minutes into the programme) about the merits/drawbacks of watching opera in the cinema - reaching a wider audience who may not know opera, providing opera in places without an opera house as against the danger of promoting only certain opera house standards(Met in New York, La Scala Milan, Royal Opera House here) and detracting from smaller opera houses etc.  I shall write more about this when I have seen my second cinema opera.  It would be interesting to hear other views on this.

aaronbear 29 Dec 2008 at 8:25am (Report this message)

So far I have seen Romeo and Julliet, Peter Grimes, La Boheme, The First Emperor, La Fille Du Regiment, Salome, and Doctor Atomic as part of the Met Live in HD broadcasts. I think they are a wonderful idea, giving a terrific look at the backstage happenings during the performance. It is also a wonderful way to bring opera to people who might not be inclined to see a performance in an opera house.

In that it takes away from smaller companies, I feel that it gives audiences the chance to see multiple productions of the same work. I would say the onclusions drawn from watching these multiple performances would be different for everyone.